High-fibre and low-fat diets in diabetes mellitus

Eight insulin-dependent and eight insulin-independent diabetic patients and twenty-eight non-diabetic essential hypertensive patients were given a high-fibre, high-unrefined carbohydrate and low-fat diet for 3 months duration. 2. The effects of this dietary regimen on the patients' fasting blood glucose, hypoglycaemic therapy and weight was observed. 3. Fasting lipid profiles were obtained before and after 3 months on the dietary regimen, and total serum lipids and lipoprotein fractions were analysed. 4. The insulin-dependent and insulin-independent diabetic patients showed a reduction in hypoglycaemic therapy, with no significant change in fasting blood glucose. The insulin-independent and non-diabetic groups both showed significant weight loss. 5. The three groups of patients showed a significant reduction in cardiovascular risk factors with either an elevation of high-density lipoprotein (HDL)-cholesterol or a fall in low-density lipoprotein (LDL)-cholesterol and a reduction in the total cholesterol: HDL-cholesterol value.